'County Line Bandits' Suspected In 2 Takeover Bank Robberies
CALABASAS (CBSLA.com) — The public's help is needed to identify two men who have committed takeover bank robberies in the city of Calabasas.
The robbers, dubbed the "County Line Bandits" because the banks they robbed are near the border shared by Los Angeles and Ventura counties, are considered armed and dangerous, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
The most recent robbery was a violent takeover on Feb. 24 at a Bank of America branch at 23631 Calabasas Road.
The bank is offering a $10,000 reward for information about the robbers that would lead to an arrest and conviction.
Images show the suspects wearing hoodies and masks. Victims inside the bank were ordered to the ground during the robbery, while the suspects brandished their weapons.
The bandits are also believed to have committed a similar robbery on Dec. 15 at a Chase bank at 23703 Calabasas Road.
KCAL9's Amy Johnson said the two banks are literally a few hundred feet apart in the same shopping center.
The alleged robbers were in and out of each bank in less than two minutes.
"These suspects are very violent," Eimiller said, and added that finding them is a top priority.
"They actually went in and there was a table in the lobby and they just threw it up and possibly hit one of the victims -- clearly an intimidation tactic that scared everyone and ordered everyone to the ground. And in both occasions they brandished weapons and we want to get them off the street."
The getaway vehicle was described as a gold or tan Chevrolet Suburban with tinted windows.
Anyone with information about the suspects, or who recognizes them from surveillance images, was urged to call 911 or the FBI's 24-hour tip line (888) 226-8443.